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THE WEATHER IS HOT ... NONE OF US HAVE TO BE REMINDED OF THAT. BUT SOME NEW YORKERS HAVE TO BE REMINDED THAT THERE ARE WRONG WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT.

YESTERDAY, FIREMEN DOUGLAS SLOAN (CQ) AND FRANK PANELLA (CQ) WERE MOBBED ON THE EAST SIDE WHEN THEY TRIED TO TURN OFF A HYDRANT THAT HAD BEEN OPENED FOR THE BENEFIT OF NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUNGSTERS.

THE STREET WAS QUIET TODAY ... NO WATER SPRAYED FROM THE HYDRANT. ON A NEARBY STREET FIRE CHIEF DAVID AND COMMISSIONER CAVANAUGH EXPLAINED THE SITUATION FOR NEW YORKERS.

IN ANY LANGUAGE ... THIS SORT OF THING IS SENSELESS. CAMERAMAN IRVING SMITH AND I FOUND CHILDREN PLAYING BEFORE AN OPEN HYDRANT ON 92ND (Ninety-second) STREET NEAR SECOND AVENUE. IT'S DANGEROUS FOR CARS PASSING THROUGH ... DANGEROUS FOR RESIDENTS IN THE AREA. WATER PRESSURE WAS LOWERED WHILE THESE CHILDREN PLAYED .... FIGURATIVELY, PLAYED WITH FIRE. THEY'RE HOT AND DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DANGER ... COOLER ADULT HEADS SHOULD PREVAIL.